Man Indicted In Co-worker's Slaying

February 15, 1996|By Teresa Jimenez, Tribune Staff Writer.

A Lake County grand jury Wednesday indicted a Chicago man on charges that he killed a 25-year-old co-worker after she apparently fought off a sexual attack in the parking garage next to the Buffalo Grove building where they both worked, authorities said.

Donzell Digby, 39, was charged with first-degree murder, and his arraignment was set for Feb. 21 before Judge Raymond McKoski, said Assistant State's Atty. Mike Mermel.

Assistant State's Atty. George Strickland, who will prosecute the case with Christine-Ann Moe, said he may seek the death penalty.

Rebecca Drew died Jan. 29 after being stabbed numerous times on the fourth floor of a parking garage outside her office at Zenith Data Systems in Buffalo Grove. She was found about 7:30 a.m. that day by a male co-worker.

The killing was the first in Buffalo Grove since 1986.

Co-workers said Digby and Drew did not socialize outside the workplace, but authorities allege the killing resulted when Drew rejected Digby's sexual advances.

Police said Digby waited for Drew in the parking garage and approached her after she parked her car on the second floor. Digby then allegedly took Drew to the fourth floor of the garage, where he stabbed her in the mid-chest area, authorities said.

Drew was found clothed, and the Cook County medical examiner's office found no signs of sexual assault.

Robbery also may have been involved, since Digby allegedly told authorities during questioning where he dumped Drew's purse, authorities said.

On the morning of the killing, a Monday, Drew left her grandmother's home near Crystal Lake at about 6:20 a.m. to arrive at work for her shift at 7 a.m., authorities said.

Digby called in sick to work that day, but security cameras and witnesses placed his car, a white 1988 Buick Park Avenue, in the garage that morning, authorities said.

Digby was taken in for questioning when he drove the Buick to work Jan. 31, authorities said. Police arrested Digby after he made several conflicting and incriminating statements, authorities said.

Authorities also said Digby washed his car on Jan. 29 or Jan. 30 in an attempt to get rid of any evidence and threw away his bloodied clothing. The knife used in the attack has not been found, authorities said.

A Lake County judge on Feb. 1 ordered that Digby be held without bond in Lake County Jail.

Digby and Drew worked on the same floor in the customer service department with about 100 other employees, fielding calls from customers who had complaints or questions at the Riverwalk office complex at 2150 E. Lake-Cook Rd., authorities said.

Digby, an employee since May 1990, was divorced with three sons, living on Chicago's West Side. Neighbors have said he was active in the community, serving as president of the block club for the 5200 block of West Monroe Street and organizing activities for children in the area.

Drew, who was single and for the last three years lived in unincorporated Crystal Lake with her father and grandmother, had worked for Zenith since April 1994.

Digby requested a public defender during his bond hearing Feb. 1, saying he did not have the money to pay for his own attorney. He will be represented by Assistant Public Defender Joy Palmer and by Alan Jones, a private defense attorney.